Among the sand dunes
by Marie-Fairbotham
Summary: A mysterious character appears from over the sand dunes, what is his tale and where is he heading to? Obiwan, Padme, Anikan


Since the empire had risen from the ashes of the republic, a tale of woe and misery fell to the ears of those who still believed in democracy and peace. However weaved into the fabric of the story was a thin thread of Hope, a hope that all desired from the last Jedi to the mortal humans who played the pawns on the emperor's chess board. The valiant legend spoke of a Queen and her loyal subject who risked even his life to feel the love that had been forbidden by his Masters. From each new telling the story would take on another life, exaggerations were exaggerated and soon the tale became a blanket of both truths and lies sown together with the words of sorrow, no longer were the legendary heroes remembered by their names for now they had been changed over the course of years of warfare and rebellion...and yet... there was still one... one who held the key to the truth, the truth of the Queen and her subject.

'Every day slips by like an eternity, a life lived in shadow….'

Darkness was falling fast on the planet of Tatooine. Whispers rode the whining winds as they battered the mud brick houses that clung to the grit and sand. Haunting images danced among the stars as the whispers began to cease and all was still and silent. As the wisps of sand died away, a hooded figure appeared from the dunes, his face was hidden except for a dazzling pair of piercing blue eyes. He was almost lost against his background due to his beige cloak, a camouflage of protection. For most of his journey through the wilderness, his arm had been fixed over his eyes, a shield from the harrowing winds and the dancing grains that clung to his skin. Slowly and cautiously the stranger lowered his arm and flung back the hood of cloth that had hid his face from passing wanderers. His head bore groomed, white locks that thickly covered his skull and revealed the secrets of his age. Tatooine was full of memories for this traveller, it had played an important part in his rise to adulthood and the years that followed. His eyes travelled above the hills of sand to the darkness, admiring the undeniable beauty of the three moons Ghomrassen, Guermessa and Chenini. His thoughts wandered to the beauty that graced life and one in particular; a lotus that had bloomed pure and white from the manipulative evil that had enclosed around her. As he sighed a murmur fell from his wizened lips

'Padme…'

He slowly lowered his head back to reality, back to the world at his feet. Tatooine had been their resting place during the Federation's take over of Naboo, her life had been tragic, full of loss and heartbreak but now she had escaped, she was free like the roaming winds and the salty breeze. He knelt down and grasped a cluster of sand in his hand and watched as each fell to the floor, his mind wandered once again, back before his isolation, his solitude, the age of the jedi and the down fall of the republic...

i 'JUST RUN!'

His heart was pounding fast, head spinning, blurred images racing past, he hurried down the metal stairs to the secret landing pad. He gasped quick gulps of air as he darted to a single starfighter, his escape route. Clambering into the single seat, he closed the glass capsule over him and took control. With in a few seconds he began the engines to the pod, launching himself off into the world beyond.

His head raced, his stomach churned with an overwhelming feeling of loss; he could not understand it. What had happened? What went wrong? His mind paced as the ship raced through the vacuum of darkness. For a moment, he sat back and heaved a gasp of despair, slowly he regulated his breathing and began entering several coordinates and codes into the ship's system. Soon a high pitched beeping sound occurred which quickly speeded up until it reached a steady monophonic tone. Obi-wan gently tapped his comlink before moistening his lips and announcing his presence.

'Emergency Code Nine Thirteen ... I have no contact on any frequency. Are there any Jedi out there? . . . anywhere . .'

He waited silently in the darkness, praying for an answer from anyone, something terrible had transpired, he needed information fast, he had felt a great disturbance in the force yet he would not admit it to himself, not until he had seen evidence. Obi-wan scrambled into life as a burst of static entered his ears and a blurred hologram appeared before him.

'. . . Kenobi . . .'

A warm smile graced Obi-wan's youthful face as the sound of his name filled his ears, his anxiety passed and a sense of reprieve washed over him.

'I've locked on. Repeat.'

Slowly the fuzzy hologram came into focus , and Obi-Wan rejoiced further to learn his receiver was his ally Bail Organa.

'Master Kenobi??'

Obi-Wan's calm state was short lived as the urgency in his voice grew due to the fear he felt

'Senator Organa! My Clone Troops turned on me ... I need help.'

'We have just rescued Master Yoda. It appears this ambush has happened everywhere. We're sending you our coordinates.'

Did Bail speak true? It could not be possible, why had the troops turned on them, the keepers of the peace, his mind wandered to the senate and of his young apprentice, what had occurred and who out of the many had lost their lives for the lost republic, as he dwelled on his thoughts he eventually received the vital co-ordinates of Organa and proceeded in setting a course to the chartered area and hoped the answers would lie with his master and friend Yoda.

It was quite sometime before Obi-Wan finally reached the Alderaan starcruiser that Bail's co-ordinates led to. He breathed a sigh of relief as he drew closer to the cruiser finally landing his ship in the docking port. Discarding the glass cocoon from over his head, Obi-Wan pushed himself out of his starship, his cloak instantly wrapping around his experienced body. Cautiously he headed to the entrance of the star cruiser. As the doors hissed open, his caution disappeared for in front of him stood Senator Bail Organa and his Master, Yoda. Their greetings to one another were formal, but each knew how comforted they felt knowing that each other were safe. As the trio began to descend down the main hallway, Bail Organa finally spoke:

'You made it.'

Obi-Wan turned to Bail and replied with a simple nod, his mind was concentrating on other matters; he was just about to ask for developments when Yoda interrupted him,

' Master Kenobi, dark times are these. Good to see you. it is.'

Obi-Wan's anxiety grew, he had to know the cause for this disturbance in the force and for the attempts by the clones to murder him

'You were attacked by your Clones, also?'

'with the help of the Wookiees, barely escape, I did.'

'How many other Jedi managed to survive?'

'Heard from no one, have we.'

He halted, no-one, no one had been found, Obi-Wan felt his stomach clench and his mind numb from the overload of information, could all of them be dead, had his pupil Anakin met the same fate? As he stared into the void, his thoughts were interrupted by the senator

'I saw thousands of troops attack the Jedi Temple. That's why I went looking for Yoda.'

'Have we had any contact from the Temple?'

The urgency in his voice had been noticed by Yoda and hesitantly replied

'Received a coded retreat message, we have.'

'It requests all Jedi to return to the Temple. It says that the war is over . . .' Bail informed

Adrenalin pumped through Obi-Wan's veins, he ran his fingers through his hair, staring at both Bail and Yoda in disbelief  
'Well, then we must go back! If there are other stragglers, they will fall into the trap and be killed.'

Bail shook his head 'It's too dangerous to return.'

'Suggest dismantling the coded signal, do you?' Yoda asked inventively, his interest grew in Obi's plan.

'Yes, Master. There is too much at stake here, and we need a clearer picture of what has happened.'

'I agree. In a dark place we find ourselves ... a little more knowledge might light our way.'

With Yoda's acceptance the trio paraded to the main controls desk, with Bail's order, the star crusier was once again hurled through hyperspace at astounding speeds towards Coruscant, praying for the answers to the questions that they held.

Remembering his advancements on Coruscant, Obi-Wan clasped his arms tightly round his chest as though to support himself, for even now the information that would be told haunted him and changed his life forever. /i 


End file.
